Radiator mounting system

ABSTRACT

A radiator mounting system for a skid steer vehicle includes an air box with a front wall having an opening sized to receive engine fan blades, an oil cooler disposed in the air box, a radiator; and a radiator frame supporting the radiator that is hingeably coupled to the air box. The radiator has plastic tanks and an aluminum core and the frame extends around the periphery of the radiator

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to work vehicles. Moreparticularly, it relates to cooling systems for skid steer vehicles.Even more particularly, it relates to heat exchanger mountingarrangements including oil cooler and radiators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Skid steer vehicles such as skid steer loaders are a mainstay ofconstruction work. In their most common configuration, they have twodrive wheels on each side of a chassis that are driven in rotation byone or more hydraulic motors coupled to the wheels on one side andanother one or more hydraulic motors coupled to the wheels on the otherside.

The wheels on one side of the vehicle can be driven independently of thewheels on the other side of the vehicle This permits the wheels onopposing sides of the vehicle to be rotated at different speeds and inopposite directions. By rotating in opposite directions, the skid steercan rotate in place about a vertical axis that extends through thevehicle itself.

The vehicles have an overall size of about 10 by 12 feet, which, whencombined with their ability to rotate in place, gives them considerablemobility at a worksite. It is this mobility that makes them a favorite.

Skid steer vehicles commonly have at least one loader (or lift) arm thatis pivotally coupled to the chassis of the vehicle to raise and lower atthe operator's command. This arm typically has a bucket, blade or otherimplement attached to the end of the arm that is lifted and loweredthereby. Most commonly, a bucket is attached, and the skid steer vehicleis used to carry supplies or particulate matter such as gravel, sand, ordirt around the worksite.

As a counterbalance to the loads provided at the front of the vehicle,skid steer vehicles typically have an engine that is located behind theoperator. The radiator is also commonly disposed behind the operator,usually at the center rear of the vehicle behind the engine.

Cooling air for the engine is typically drawn into the rear enginecompartment through an aperture protected by a grille or grating. Thisair aperture is most commonly disposed at the very rear of the vehicle.In the skid steer vehicle illustrated herein, for example, the airaperture is a rectangular opening that is located in a rear engineaccess door.

Skid steer vehicles are operated in dusty and dirty environments. Thevehicles are typically used at construction sites for both roads andbuildings. These environments are unpaved, and a significant amount ofdirt gets stirred up by the passage of vehicles such as skid steers.Further, the method of steering—by skidding—breaks up compacted soil andturns it into loose particles easily lifted by wind and rotating wheels.

These environments cause significant dirt to accumulate around theradiator and other coolers. In skid steers this is a particular problem.They are close to the ground, they steer by skidding, and their coolingair intakes are located at the rear of the vehicle precisely where thewheels and the air disturbed during their passage throws us dirt anddust.

This accumulated dirt reduces the efficiency of the radiator and othercoolers. Once sucked into the cooling air aperture, the dust coats thecooling fins of the engine cooling water radiator, oil coolers and otherheat exchangers. Common skid steer vehicles have at least two heatexchangers that are cooled by this dirty air: an engine water cooler (or“radiator”) and a hydraulic fluid cooler. As the air passes firstthrough one, and then through the other, dirt, dust and othercontaminants carried by the air begin to coat the cooling fins of eachof the heat exchangers and plug the air flow passages between adjacentcooling fins. This coating blocks the transfer of heat from the coolingfins of the heat exchangers to the air and must be removed to restorethe full operational capacity of the heat exchangers.

To restore efficiency it is necessary to clean the radiator and coolersout regularly. Cleaning the cooling fins requires a strong blast of airand/or water directed through the core of the heart exchangers. Thisblast of fluid must be of sufficient force to dislodge the dust dirt andother contaminants (small bits of paper, leaves, sticks twigs, etc.)that have lodged between or coat the cooling fins.

It is difficult to access the skid steer radiator and coolers and cleanthem. A single heat exchanger can be cleaned by directing a blast of airor water through both sides of the heat exchanger core. As long as theoperator has access to both sides (both faces) of the heat exchanger itcan be cleaned well.

When two heat exchangers are stacked and fastened one in front of theother, however, like two stacked slices of bread, the operator cannotreach both surfaces of the heat exchanger, only one surface (the outersurface) of each. A blast of fluid through two stacked heat exchangersis not satisfactory since the first heat exchanger core slows down,redirects and scatters the blast as it passes through, leaving littleforce to dislodge dirt, dust and contaminants from the second heatexchanger core.

The radiator and coolers cannot readily be separated to permit bettercleaning. In the typical arrangement, the radiator and cooler are fixedto one another with metal straps and are together bolted to a fanshroud. The fan shroud is typically a large funnel-like structure,molded from a fiber reinforced plastic and fixed between the spinningengine fan that draws air through the heat exchangers and the heatexchangers themselves. Even small deflections or misalignments of such afan shroud can cause it to be chewed up by the spinning fan blades,damaging both the fan and the shroud itself. Further, any disconnectionor movement of the heat exchangers and the fan shroud with respect toeach other run the risk of producing air leaks. Whenever air ispermitted to leak out of or into the cooling air flow path withoutpassing through the heat exchangers and the fan, the cooling air flow isreduced and the efficiency of the heat exchangers drops accordingly. Forthese reasons, the heat exchangers and the fan shroud are most commonlybolted firmly together and are fixed in place, with no easy provisionfor moving either heat exchanger.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved skid steer vehicle having acooling system that is configured to provide better cleaning access.What is also needed is a system that provides access to the spacebetween two stacked radiators. What is also needed is a system forproviding access that is easily and quickly operated, without requiringconsiderably time for disassembly and reassembly. What is also needed isan improved system for sealing the heat exchangers in the radiator oneto the other to reduce or eliminate air leaks. It is an object of thisinvention to provide these advantages. While not every claimed aspect ofthe invention provides all these advantages, each of these advantages isprovided by at least one claimed aspect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a radiator mountingsystem for a skid steer vehicle is provided, including a rectangular airbox having a front wall, a plurality of sidewalls abutting one anotherto form an air duct, and an open back, wherein the front wall has anopening sized to receive engine fan blades, a planar oil cooler disposedin the air box and having a plurality of lateral edges sealed againstthe plurality of sidewalls of the air box; a planar radiator having aplurality of lateral edges, a back side, and a front side; and aradiator frame supporting the radiator by its plurality of lateraledges, the frame including a strap configured to encircle and supportthe periphery of a radiator, wherein the strap is hingeably coupled tothe air box.

The radiator may have a plurality of sidewalls on its front side thatare configured to seal against the back of the air box in a first sealedposition. The frame may be hingeably coupled to the bottom of the airbox to pivot the radiator from the first sealed position to a secondunsealed position in which the upper portion of the radiator is unsealedfrom the rear of the air box and provides a operator-accessible gapbetween a rear wall of the oil cooler and a front wall of the radiator.The operator-accessible gap may be opened wide enough to allow water tobe sprayed through the gap and directly against the rear of the oilcooler and the front of the radiator. The air box may include onesidewall with a slot for receiving one of an inlet fitting and an outletfitting, and a hole on an opposing sidewall for receiving another of aninlet and an outlet fitting. The air box may be fixed to a heatexchanger support that is, in turn, fixed to a chassis of the vehicle,the heat exchanger support having two vertical members disposed oneither side of the air box and a laterally extending top member fixed tothe tops of the two vertical members. The system may further include alouvered duct that is pivotally mounted to move from a first sealedposition in which it is sealed against the back side of the radiator anda second open position in which it is pivoted away from the back side ofthe radiator. The duct may be fixed to a frame of a rear door of thevehicle. The rear door may include a panel that is mounted on the doorto be pivotable from a first position in which is disposed on top of theradiator to a second position in which it is to one side of theradiator.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a radiator mountingsystem for a skid steer vehicle is provided, including an air boxconfigured as an air duct to conduct substantially all cooling airrequired for an oil cooler and a radiator, the air box having a frontwall, at least four sidewalls, and an open back, wherein the front wallshrouds an engine cooling air fan, an oil cooler disposed in the air boxand having at least four lateral edges sealed against the at least foursidewalls of the air box; a radiator in the form of a plane having atleast four lateral edges, a back side, and a front side; and a radiatorsupport coupled to and supporting the radiator, wherein the radiatorsupport is hingeably coupled to the air box.

The radiator may have a first sealed position in which the edges of theradiator are configured to seal against the air box. The radiator may beconfigured to be pivoted about one pivotal axis from its first sealedposition to a second unsealed position in which the radiator is unsealedfrom the rear of the air box and an operator-accessible gap is providedbetween a rear wall of the oil cooler and a front wall of the radiator.The operator-accessible gap may be wide enough to allow water and air tobe manually introduced through the gap and sprayed against the rear ofthe oil cooler and the front of the radiator when the radiator is in thesecond unsealed position. The air box may include at least one sidewallhaving a slot for receiving one of a cooler inlet fitting and an outletfitting, and at least another sidewall having a hole for receivinganother of a cooler inlet and an outlet fitting. The air box may befixed at least to a heat exchanger support, the heat exchanger supporthaving two vertical members disposed on either side of the air box and alaterally extending top member fixed to the tops of the two verticalmembers. The system may further include a louvered duct that ispivotally mounted to move from a first sealed position in which the ductis sealed against the back side of the radiator and a second openposition in which the duct is pivoted away from the back side of theradiator. The duct may be fixed to a frame of a rear door of thevehicle. The rear door may include a panel that is mounted on the doorto be pivotable from a first position in which is disposed on top of theradiator to a second position in which it is to one side of theradiator.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a method of openinga radiator mounting system of a skid steer vehicle for cleaning isprovided, including the steps of opening a skid steer rear doorcontaining a cooling air duct; unlatching a radiator; and pivoting theunlatched radiator backward away from an oil cooler.

The step of opening a skid steer rear door may include the step ofpivoting a louvered rear door containing an air duct away from sealingengagement with the radiator. The step of pivoting the unlatchedradiator may include the step of pivoting the radiator about a pivotalaxis disposed along a forward surface of a lower tank of the radiator.The step of pivoting the radiator about a pivotal axis disposed along aforward surface of a lower tank of the radiator may include the step ofpivoting the radiator from a first position in which it is substantiallyparallel to an oil cooler and spaced behind the oil cooler with a gaptherebetween of between 0.5 inches and 2.0 inches, to a second positionin which the radiator is disposed at an angle of between zero degreesand thirty degrees with respect to the oil cooler.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, a radiator andmounting system for a work vehicle is provided that includes a radiatorhaving a top tank, a bottom tank and a core, the radiator having aperipheral edge that extends across the top of the top tank, down eachside of the radiator core and across the bottom of the bottom tank; anda frame configured to extend around the peripheral edge of the radiator,wherein the frame is configured to be pivotally coupled to a chassis ofthe work vehicle.

The frame may include a first subframe and a second subframe that arecoupled together with threaded fasteners along the peripheral edge ofthe radiator. The radiator may have a plastic top tank and a plasticbottom tank. The radiator may have an aluminum core. The top tank andthe bottom tank may have means for coupling the radiator and frame thatare engaged with corresponding structures on the frame. The radiator andmounting system may further include a plurality of elastomeric supportsthat are disposed between each of the means for coupling and the frame.The means for coupling may be plastic. The first subframe may be a topframe configured to extend across the top surface of the top tank andthe second frame may be a bottom frame configured to extend across thebottom surface of the bottom tank.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, a radiator andmounting system for a work vehicle is provided including a radiator witha top tank, a bottom tank and a core, the radiator having a peripheraledge that extends across the top of the top tank, down each side of theradiator core and across the bottom of the bottom tank; and a radiatormount configured to extend around at least a portion of the peripheraledge of the radiator, wherein the radiator mount is configured to bepivotally coupled to a chassis of the work vehicle.

The radiator may have a plastic top tank and a plastic bottom tank andthe radiator mount may be coupled to the both the plastic top tank andthe plastic bottom tank. The top tank and the bottom tank may have meansfor coupling the radiator and frame that are engaged with the radiatormount. The radiator and mounting system may further include a pluralityof resilient supports that are disposed between each of the means forcoupling and the frame. The means for coupling may be plastic. The coremay be made of aluminum and the radiator mount may include a hinge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a skid steer vehicle in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary left side perspective rear view of the vehicleof FIG. 1 with the rear door closed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary left side perspective rear view of the vehicleof FIGS. 1 and 2 with the rear door open showing the chassis interlockand the inner door construction including the hinges, louvers andlatches.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detailed perspective view of the upper hingearea of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the rear door andchassis of the vehicle of the foregoing FIGURES when the door is in theclosed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along section line 5 inFIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary left side rear perspective view identical tothat of FIG. 3, but with the addition of the two heat exchangers: theengine radiator and hydraulic fluid or oil cooler.

FIG. 7 is a left side perspective view of the radiator support from thesame perspective as it is shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, but with the othervehicle components removed for clarity.

FIG. 8 is a left side perspective view of the radiator support assemblywhich includes the radiator support and the radiator frame assembly,together with the radiator and the oil cooler, with the other vehiclecomponents removed. The radiator is shown pivoted to the rear and awayfrom the oil cooler as it would appear when being cleaned out.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary left side cross-sectional view of the radiatorsupport assembly and radiators of FIG. 8 taken along section line 9-9 inFIG. 8. FIG. 9 also shows a rear fragment of right side chassis member136 (to which the radiator support is bolted) as well as elongated andlaterally extending interlocking member 196 that interlocks with thelower portion of door 110 (not shown in FIG. 9) to protect the door.

FIG. 10 is a front lower left side perspective view of the radiatorsupport assembly, radiator and cooler of FIGS. 8 and 9, but from thefront left side of the radiator support assembly. The other vehiclecomponents have been removed for clarity.

FIG. 11 illustrates the chassis arrangement of the vehicle. inparticular, it shows the left side and right side longitudinallyextending members that flank the engine and support the engine (shown asa rectangular block in phantom lines) as well as the radiator supportassembly (not shown).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention is susceptible of being made in any ofseveral different forms, the drawings show a particularly preferred formof the invention. One should understand, however, that this is just oneof many ways the invention can be made. Nor should any particularfeature of the illustrated embodiment be considered a part of theinvention, unless that feature is explicitly mentioned in the claims. Inthe drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring now to the FIGURES, there is illustrated a skid steer vehicle100. The vehicle includes a chassis 102 on which are mounted four wheels(two shown) 104. These wheels are disposed two on each side in afore-and-aft relationship. All the wheels are drive wheels, driven byengine 106 that is disposed in a rear engine compartment 108 of vehicle100.

Engine compartment 108 encloses engine 106, surrounding it on all foursides as well as its top. A rear engine compartment door 110 enclosesthe rear of the engine compartment and protects a transversely-mountedrear radiator 112 and transversely mounted rear oil cooler 113 that arefixed to the chassis behind the engine.

The engine compartment 108 includes a top panel 114, a left side panel116, and a right side panel 118. These panels enclose not only theengine 106, but the radiator 112 and the oil cooler 113 as well. Theleft panel is fixed to and supported by an elongated andlongitudinally-extending left side chassis member 160 which can be seenbest in FIG. 1. The right panel 118 is fixed to and supported by anelongated and longitudinally extending right side chassis member 136that is configured identically to left side chassis member 160, but isdisposed along the right side of the chassis and is formed as a mirrorimage of member 10. Chassis members 160 and 136 extend backward alongboth sides of engine 106, which is fixed to both members.

Door 110 seals against top panel 114 as well as side panels 116, and 118to provide protection both from the elements and from rigid objects thatmight damage the engine and radiator if the operator backs vehicle 100backs up into them.

Door 110 is in the form of a rectangular frame 120 having a centralrectangular opening 122. Opening 122 is covered with louvers 124 thatare disposed vertically across the aperture formed by the opening. Theselouvers can be pivoted about their longitudinal axes to abut one anotherand close opening 122, or alternatively to open and permit air to passtherethrough. In this manner, the operator can regulate the amount ofcooling provided by the radiator, which is disposed right behind door110.

Door 110 is supported by two hinges, an upper hinge 126 and a lowerhinge 128. The upper hinge includes two hinge plates 130,132 (FIG. 4),and a pin (not shown) pivotally coupling the two plates together. Hingeplate 130 is bolted to a vertical member 134 that in turn is bolted toright side chassis member 136. Plate 132 is fixed to door frame 120 andpivots together with the frame of the door when the door is opened.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a latch 138 is pivotally coupled to doorframe 120. It holds the door open in a first position, and permits thedoor to be closed in a second position. Latch 138 is pivotally mountedto door 110 by a bolt 140. As the door is opened, hinge plate 132, whichis fixed to the door frame, pivots about hinge plate 130, which is fixedwith respect to the chassis. Latch 138 pivots together with plate 132and the door as the door is opened, with its tang 141 sliding along thetop outer edge 142 of plate 130.

Latch 138 offers no resistance to this door opening, until the door isalmost completely open (as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6), at which point aslot 144 in plate 130 moves underneath latch 138. Slot 144 is just wideenough to receive the outwardly extending tang 141. The weight of tang141 unbalances latch 138, causing it to fall of its own weight into slot144.

Latch 138 is shown in two positions in FIG. 4: a first unlatchedposition “A” shown in phantom lines, and a second latched position “B”shown in solid lines. Position “B” illustrates how the latch wouldappear when it has rotated about 90 degrees clockwise under the force ofgravity. The latch is configured such that it is not perfectly balancedwhen in position “A”, but is top heavy. The top heavy position isdetermined by the location of the hole in latch 138 through which bolt140 passes. This hole is located such that latch 138 is not only topheavy, but tends to rotate in a clockwise direction (in FIG. 3),supported by top edge 142 of plate 130.

Lower hinge 128 similarly includes two plates 146, 148 and a pin 149pivotally coupling the two plates together. These plates and pin areidentically arranged to those of the upper hinge. Hinge plate 146 isbolted to vertical member 134. Plate 148 is fixed to door frame 120 andpivots together with the door frame when the door is opened.

The door hinges are preferably arranged so that the entire door may beremoved from the vehicle by lifting the door upward until the hinge pinsof the upper and lower hinges are removed from their corresponding hingeplates. The operator can stop the vehicle, open the door, lift the doorupward from the bottom, and remove the door from vehicle 100.

A spring loaded door latch 150 is fixed to the opposite side of the dooras hinges 126,128. It has a catch 152 that grasps a rod 154 extendingfrom striker plate 156. Striker plate 156 is bolted to vertical member158 that, in turn, is bolted to chassis member 160. The engagement ofcatch 152 and rod 154 prevents the door both from being opened and frombeing lifted off its hinges. When an upward force is applied to theclosed door, the catch and rod interengage to prevent the door frommoving upward.

While the catch and rod are sufficiently strong to resist the force ofone or two people trying to lift the closed door upward off its hinges,they may not be sufficient to prevent a substantial upward blow to thebottom of the door from lifting the door upward and either damaging thecatch and rod, or damaging both the catch and rod, and the hinges, too.

To resist these more forceful blows or impacts from lifting the door anddamaging the various door components, additional support structures areprovided. These support structures include mechanically interengaging(or interlocking) members that resist the relative upward movement ofthe door with respect to the rest of the vehicle. These members arelocated at the bottom of the engine compartment opening and extendacross the entire width of the opening.

These additional support structures are provided on both door and thechassis. They are configured to interlock automatically whenever thedoor is closed and disengage automatically whenever the door is opened.No additional operator activity is required to interlock thesestructures.

FIGS. 3 and 5 show these structures in particular detail. In FIG. 3,they are shown as they would appear when the door is open and thestructures are not mutually interengaged. In the positions shown in FIG.3, the door can be lifted off the vehicle without damaging the door orthe vehicle itself.

FIG. 5 shows the additional support structures as they are positionedwhen the door is closed. In FIG. 5 they are shown interlocked to resistthe upward movement of the door.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the structures include a first beammember 162 that is fixed to an inner surface of door frame 120 justbelow door opening 122. Member 162 may be permanently or removably fixedto door frame 120, such as by welding or bolting the member thereto.

Member 162 extends laterally, side-to-side, across the entire width ofthe engine compartment opening. It has the form of an L-shaped beamcomprised to two major planar portions: a first planar portion 164extending horizontally that is fixed along its laterally extendingleading edge 166 to a vertically and laterally extending planar beamportion 168 having a top edge portion 169 that is fixed to edge 166.

Member 162 is fixed to a second beam member 170 that also extendslaterally, side-to-side and is in turn fixed to the inner surface 172 ofthe lower portion of door frame 120 just below opening 122. Beam member170 includes a first planar portion 174 that extends generallyhorizontally and laterally within door frame 120. It also includes asecond planar beam portion 176 that extends generally laterally andvertically within door frame 120. Planar beam portions 174 and 176 arefixed together along a rearward and laterally extending edge 178 of beamportion 174 and along a bottom and laterally extending edge 180 of beamportion 176.

Beam portion 176 generally follows the contours of the inside rearsurface 172 of door frame 120 just below door opening 122. Beam portion176 preferably abuts and is fixed to the inside surface of door frame120 over substantially its entire width to provide a relatively largearea of support for the lower portion of the door. Since the lowerportion of the door typically impacts such things as piles of dirt,sand, or rock first, it is the most prone to damage. Locating the beammembers along (and fixing the beam members to) this lower portion of thedoor, provides particularly good protection against door damage.

While we describe edges 178 and 180 above as being fixed together, theyneed not be formed separately and then fixed together, but may be formedintegrally from a single sheet of metal that is bent to form a laterallyextending bend 182 that defines the junction between beam portions 174and 176.

Similarly, beam member 162 may be formed from a single sheet of metalthat is bent, thereby forming a laterally extending bend 184 at thejunction of beam portion 164 and beam portion 168.

Beam member 162 and beam member 170 together form a generallyrectangular box beam, having an internal, laterally extending, andgenerally rectangular hollow 186. This arrangement enhances theindividual strength of beam members 162 and 170.

Beam member 162 and beam member 170 are fixed together to provideadditional strength for the lower portion of door frame 120 andadditional resistance to deformation when the door is impacted. As shownin FIG. 5, the two are fixed together by a weldment 187 that extendslaterally, from side-to-side, inside door frame 120. While a weldment ispreferred, the two components may be removably fixed together withbolts, for example. This arrangement can be employed to permit each beamto be more easily mounted to the door or to permit each beam to beadjusted with respect to the other.

A third component of the additional support structures is an elongatedand laterally extending edge member 188 that is fixed to a forwardfacing vertical surface 190 of beam member 162. Edge member 188 includesa horizontally and laterally extending portion 192, shown here as aplanar and linearly extending flange, that is coupled to a verticallyand laterally extending portion 193, also shown as a planar andlaterally extending flange.

Member 188 has a generally “L”-shaped form, commonly known as “angleiron” or “angle bracket” that is comprised of flanges 192 and 193, thetwo flanges being joined at right angles to one another along an upperedge of flange 193. Vertically extending flange 193 is fixed to verticaland forward facing surface 190 of member 162, preferably by welding.

Portion 192 has an upper surface 194 that is surmounted by an elongatedinterlocking member 196. Interlocking member 196 is shown in the FIGURESas a horizontally disposed planar sheet of steel that extends outwardfrom the rear opening 198 (FIG. 5) of the engine compartment. Member 196extends laterally across the engine compartment from one side to theother. Member 196 is fixed to and between the two elongate chassismembers

When door frame 120 is closed, member 196 is disposed immediatelyadjacent to and slightly above upper surface 194 of horizontally andlaterally extending portion 192 of edge member 188. In this position,member 196 cooperates with surface 194 to prevent the door from movingupward when an upward force is applied to the door and the door isclosed.

Member 196 and portion 192 extend substantially the entire distanceacross the engine compartment opening 198. This arrangement distributesthe upward force of any door impact over substantially the entire widthof the door, and over substantially the entire length of members 162 and170.

Just as the additional support structures reduce damage to the door frombeing forced upward, they also reduce damage to the door by being forcedforward and inward toward the engine compartment opening 198. When thedoor receives an impact that drives the door forward and generally intothe engine compartment, vertically and laterally extending beam portion168 of beam member 162 is forced forward against the rear edge 200 ofmember 196. This transfers the load on the door to the member 196 whichis fixed to the vehicle chassis. When this impact occurs, edge 200engages surface 190 of beam member 162 over substantially the entirewidth of the engine compartment opening.

The door is positioned by adjusting the positions of the hinges and thelatch. For this reason, a narrow gap 202 is provided between rear-facingedge 200 and the forward-facing surface 190 of beam member 162. Asimilar narrow gap 204 is provided between upper surface 194 and thebottom surface of member 196. These two gaps extend laterally across thewidth of the engine compartment opening. The width of each gap 202,204is preferably the same across the entire width of the enginecompartment.

The foregoing structures provide support and protection for the reardoor of the skid steer vehicle. They also provide a degree of protectionfor the vehicle's heat exchangers, including radiator 112 which isdisposed slightly forward of rear door 110 in the engine compartment(FIG. 6), and hydraulic fluid or oil cooler 113 which is located justforward of radiator 112. This can be best seen in FIG. 6. (FIG. 6 isidentical to FIG. 3, but adds radiator 112 and the oil cooler 113).

In FIG. 6 the two heat exchangers—radiator 112 and oil cooler 113—aredisposed between vertical member 134 on the right side of the vehicleand vertical member 158 on the other side of the vehicle. Verticalmembers 134 and 158, together with elongated and laterally extendinghorizontal top member 207 comprise the heat exchanger support 206 (FIG.7).

Heat exchanger support 206 is fixed to and extends upward and across thetwo chassis members 160 and 136. The vertical members 158,134 are fixedto chassis members 160,136, respectively, and extend upward. Horizontalmember 207 is fixed to the tops of vertical members 158, 134, typicallyby welding and joins them together. The effect is to create an arch thatextends upward from one chassis member, across the top of the enginecompartment, and downward to the other chassis member.

As best shown in FIG. 7, left side vertical member 158 is in the form ofa U-shaped (in cross section) channel. It has a web portion 208 thatextends both vertically as well as fore-and-aft. This web portion isbolted to an inwardly facing surface of chassis member 160. Verticalmember 158 also includes a front flange 210 that is fixed to the leadingedge of web portion 208 and extends laterally inward toward thecenterline of the vehicle from web portion 208, as well as a rear flange212 that is fixed to the trailing edge of web portion 208 and extendslaterally inward toward the centerline of the vehicle from web portion208. Both front flange 210 and rear flange 212 add stiffness andrigidity to vertical member 158.

A headed pin 214 is fixed to the outside lower portion of left sidevertical member 158. Pin 214 engages slot 215 (FIGS. 3, 6) on left sidepanel 116 of the engine compartment, which holds the panel againstvertical member 158.

Right side vertical member 134 is configured similarly to left sidemember 158. Vertical member 134 is also in the form of a U-shaped (incross section) channel. It has a web portion 216 that extends bothvertically as well as fore-and-aft. This web portion is bolted to aninwardly facing surface of chassis member 136. Heat exchanger support206 also includes a front flange 218 that is fixed to the leading edgeof web portion 216 and extends laterally inward toward the centerline ofthe vehicle from web portion 216, as well as a rear flange 220 that isfixed to the trailing edge of web portion 216 and extends laterallyinward toward the centerline of the vehicle from web portion 216. Bothfront flange 218 and rear flange 220 add stiffness and rigidity tovertical member 134.

A headed pin 222 is fixed to the outside lower portion of right sidevertical member 134. Pin 222 engages a slot (not shown) on the rightside panel of the engine compartment, which holds the panel against theoutside surface of vertical member 134. The right side panel isconstructed identically to the left side panel, but in mirror image.

Horizontal member 207 is in the form of a flat planar sheet that extendshorizontally and laterally to join the two upright vertical members. Theleft and right ends of the sheet are bent to provide additionalstiffness and a better welded connection to the vertical members158,134, respectively. The left and right ends of member 207 are bentidentically to form a downwardly extending portion 224 about one inch inheight, and then is bent again, to form an outwardly extending portion226 about one inch in length.

The upper ends of vertical members 134, 158 are welded to the left andright ends of horizontal member 207 to form the outer portion of heatexchanger support 206.

Heat exchanger support 206 also includes a combined oil cooler frame andair box 228 that is fixed to vertical members 134, 158. Air box 228includes top, bottom, left and right frame members 230, 232, 234,236,which extend the length of the top, bottom, left and right sides of oilcooler 113. These frame members are fixed to each other at their ends toprovide a single piece frame that extends completely around theperiphery of the oil cooler.

The width of frame members 230, 232, 234,236 in the longitudinaldirection (i.e. the direction perpendicular to the plane of the oilcooler) is the same for all four frame members. It is aboutthree-and-a-half inches wider than the oil cooler is thick.

The oil cooler 113 is fixed in air box 228 such that its rear surface238 is recessed a distance of about one-half-inch forward of the rearedges of frame 228. This leaves three inches of air box 228 extendingout ahead of the front surface of the oil cooler. Each frame member 230,232, 234,236 has a corresponding flange 240, 242, 244, 246 (FIG. 7) thatare formed by bending over the frontmost one-half to one inch width ofthe frame member at right angles to the frame member itself. The fourflanges 240, 242, 244, 246 (FIG. 7) thereby created are all coplanar.Their coplanar outer surfaces together define a joint mounting surfacefor fan shroud plate 248 (FIG. 10).

Each flange 240, 242, 244, 246 has two threaded holes 250 that aredisposed several inches apart on each flange. These holes serve as themounting points for fan shroud plate 248. The fan shroud plate 248 haseight corresponding holes that can be aligned with eight holes 250. Oncealigned, threaded fasteners 252 (FIG. 10) are inserted through the holesin the fan shroud plate, then into flanges 240, 242, 244, 246 and thentightened.

Fan shroud plate 248 has a large central hole 253 that is sized toreceive the blades of engine fan 254 (FIG. 9). The hole is between 0.25and 1.0 inches larger in diameter than the circle inscribed by thelongest blade of fan 254. This provides a small clearance between thefan blade tips and the fan shroud plate itself, preventing both the fanblades and the shroud plate from being damaged.

The eight holes in the fan shroud plate 248 for receiving fasteners 252are preferably slightly larger than the shank of the fasteners to permitthe fan shroud plate to be adjusted slightly up and down as well as tothe left and right with respect to the fan blades.

Left and right frame members 234,236 are welded to left and rightvertical members 158,134 approximately at the fore-and-aft midpoint ofmembers 234,236. Left member 234 is welded to the free edge of the frontflange 210 of left side vertical member 158, and right member 236 iswelded to the free edge of front flange 218 of right side verticalmember 134. This spacing is best shown in FIG. 9. Roughly half of airbox 228 is forward of front flanges 210 and 218 and roughly half ispositioned to the rear of front flanges 210 and 218.

Four tabs 254, 256, 258, 260 extend inwardly into the air box 228 fromthe fore-and-aft midline of air box frame members 230,232,234,236, justat the place where vertical members 158,134 abut (and are welded to)frame members 234,236. These four tabs, best shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 arethe four corner mounting points for oil cooler 113.

In the preferred embodiment, the four tabs 254, 256, 258, 260 areextensions of front flanges 210,218 of vertical members 158,134 that areinserted through correspondingly positioned slots in members 234,236during assembly.

Each tab has a through-hole 262 that receives a threaded fastener, suchas a bolt. Each bolt passes through its corresponding through-hole 262and is threaded into a corresponding threaded fastener on the oil cooler113. When the fasteners are tightened, the oil cooler is drawn againstthe tabs where it is fixed in place. Since the tabs are located alongthe vertical midline of frame members 234,236, this configuration holdsthe oil cooler in position in the air box 228 just behind the midline ofmembers 234,236, leaving the front half of air box 228 empty.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-10, radiator 112 is similarly mounted in aframe 264. The radiator frame 264, however, is not a part of or rigidlymounted to the heat exchanger support. Instead, it is pivotally mountedalong its bottom edge to air box 228, permitting it to be tilted towardthe air box and secured in position during machine operation, and tiltedaway from the air box for cleaning when the machine is shut down.

Mounting a radiator in a frame and hingeably mounting the frame to thevehicle chassis is new to work vehicles. This arrangement permits theuse of automotive radiators such as radiator 112 that are designed to befixedly mounted against a bulkhead or firewall.

Automotive radiators designed for fixed mounting have a lighter weightconstruction as compared to industrial radiators intended for use withconstruction vehicles. In particular, top tank 268 and bottom tank 272of automotive-style radiator 112 are injection molded of a high densityplastic. Furthermore, both the cooling fins and the internal tubularpassageways of radiator core 274 are made of aluminum.

Another feature of automotive radiator 112 is the mounting arrangementfor mounting the radiator to the frame and vehicle. Rather than havingmetallic threaded connectors that are fixed to the periphery of anindustrial radiator, radiator 112 has pins or protrusions 269 that aremolded integral with and extend upward from top tank 268, as well aspins or protrusions 273 that are molded integral with and extenddownward from the bottom of bottom tank 272. In an alternativeconfiguration (not shown) the top and bottom tanks may have indentationsor recesses that receive corresponding pins or protrusions that extendsfrom the frame. In a preferred arrangement, the tanks and the frame donot touch each other directly, but have elastomeric structures such asbushings or grommets that are interposed between the frame and radiatorto support the radiator, reduce chafing and provide some resiliency inthe coupling. This permits the radiator to float slightly with respectto the frame and to absorb impacts when the radiator is slammed closed.

Radiators with this plastic and aluminum construction that are supportedby plastic pins extending from the top and bottom tanks to our knowledgehave not been used in work vehicles (e.g. skid steer vehicle 100), andparticularly not used in work vehicles with pivoting radiators that aresubject to jarring impacts when the radiators are slammed closed.

The radiator frame 264 is formed of two main pieces: an upper frame 266that wraps around the top (or upper) tank 268 of the radiator, and alower frame 270 that wraps around both the lower (or bottom) tank 272 ofthe radiator and also up each side of the radiator core 274. The twoframes are made of sheet metal having a fore-and-aft width equal to thefore-and-aft overall width of radiator 112 itself.

The upper frame 266 is comprised on an elongate strap of metal 278having a hole through which the radiator fill tube 280 extends. Thispermits the radiator to be filled when the frame is installed around theperiphery of the radiator. Strap 278 extends around the top tank of theradiator and slightly down both the left and the right side. Both theleft and right ends of the strap terminate in mirror image mountingbrackets 282, each bracket having two through-holes 284 sized to receivetwo threaded fasteners 286 that pass therethrough. The fasteners 286extend through holes 284 and are threadedly engaged to a mating bracket290 on lower frame 270. In the illustrations herein only the left sidebracket 282 is shown. The bracket on the right side is identicallyconfigured, but in mirror image. Two resilient elastomeric grommets orbushings 288 are fixed between the upper frame 266 and the radiator tocushion the radiator within radiator frame 264. In a preferredembodiment, pins or protrusions 269 may be provided on the radiator toptank 268 and extend from the top tank into these grommets or bushings.This arrangement will reduce the chance that the radiator will shiftwith respect to radiator frame 266.

Lower frame 270 of the radiator foam is, like the upper frame, formedout of a strip of metal. This strip is bent to extend from the left sidemounting bracket 282 of the upper frame, down the left side of theradiator 112, across the bottom of the radiator, and up the right sidewhere it terminates at the mounting bracket on the right side (notshown). Both the left and right ends of lower frame 270 have mirrorimage mounting brackets 290 that are configured to be coupled tomounting brackets 282 of upper frame 266 by fasteners 286. Two resilientelastomeric grommets or bushings 292 (FIG. 10) are disposed between thelower frame and the bottom tank 272 of the radiator to cushion theradiator within the radiator frame. In a preferred embodiment, pins orprotrusions 273 may be provided on the bottom tank and extend from thebottom tank of radiator 112 into these grommets or bushings 292. Thisarrangement will reduce the chance that the radiator will shift withrespect to radiator frame 270.

The radiator frame is pivotally coupled to the air box 228 by hinge 294.Hinge 294 is fixed to lower frame 270 at its lower end and is pivotallycoupled to bottom frame member 232 of air box 228 at its upper end.Hinge 294 extends upward from lower frame 270 along the front wall oflower tank 272 until it reaches the bottom of frame member 232 to whichit is pivotally coupled. Hinge 294 has two gudgeons 296 along its upperedge that engage two spaced apart pins 298 that are fixed to the bottomrear edge of frame member 232.

The hinge 294 defines a pivotal axis about which the radiator pivotsfrom its closed position, shown in FIG. 6, to its open position shown inFIG. 8.

In the open position, a sufficient gap is provided between the radiatorand the oil cooler to let an operator spray water and air directly intothe radiator's front surface or wall and the oil cooler's rear surfaceor wall to clean them out.

This hinge arrangement permits the radiator to be pivoted backward fromthe top, toward the rear of the vehicle. Radiator 112 is held in aclosed position (FIG. 6) in which it is sealed against the air box rearend (e.g. against the rear edges of the air box frame members230,232,234,236) by a latch member 300 that is fixed to the upperradiator frame. This first latch member 300 (FIG. 9) is releasablyengaged by a second latch member 302 (FIG. 8) that is mounted on a metalplate 304 (shown with member 302 removed in FIG. 7) that, in turn, iswelded to and between the horizontal top member 207 of heat exchangersupport 206 and top frame member 230 of air box 228. In this latchedposition, the radiator is parallel to the oil cooler: the plane of theoil cooler is parallel to the plane of the radiator. The spacing betweenthe radiator and the oil cooler is preferably between 0.5 and 2.0 incheswhen the radiator is in its closed, sealed and latched position.

When the latch member 300 is manually released, the radiator 112 and itsframe can be pivoted backward from its closed position (shown in FIG. 6)to its open position (shown in FIGS. 8 and 9). The radiator 112 andhinge 294 are preferably arranged such that the radiator 112 can bepivoted to a its closed position of zero degrees with respect to the oilcooler (i.e. parallel to the oil cooler) in which it is spaced between0.5 and 2.0 inches from the back of the oil cooler to an angle of atleast ten degrees, preferably at least fifteen degrees, more preferablyat least twenty degrees and most preferably at least thirty degrees withrespect to the oil cooler. The degree of radiator pivoting is primarilya function of the length and orientation of the upper radiator coolanthose. The shorter the hose the less the radiator can be pivoted. Ofcourse, removing the upper radiator heater hose will permit the radiatorto be pivoted to an even greater angle.

When the radiator is in its closed position there is a substantiallyair-tight seal between the rear edges of air box frame members230,232,234,236; and the edges of radiator 112 itself. Each rear edge ofmembers 230,232,234,236 is covered with a flexible rubber seal or bead306 (FIGS. 8, 9) that is fixed to the rear edge and faces backward,toward the radiator. When the radiator is tilted forward into position,this seal abuts the front face of the radiator within the radiator frameand prevents air from leaking out of the air box 228 before it goesthrough radiator 112. In this manner, all air that is driven into theair box 228 is forced first through oil cooler 113 and then throughradiator 112.

When the latch is opened, however, the radiator tilts backward to theposition shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and the gap between the radiator andthe oil cooler increases. This pivoting movement breaks the seal betweenthe radiator and the seal 306, permitting cleaning agents such as air orwater to be blown into the gap and the inner surfaces of the radiatorand the oil cooler to be cleaned. Fixing the radiator back in itsoperating position merely includes pushing the radiator forward untillatch member 300 and 302 engage and interlock.

The oil cooler has an oil cooler inlet and an oil cooler outlet. Theinlet is a threaded hose fitting 308 (FIG. 10) located at the bottom ofthe cooler. This fitting extends through a hole 310 in the right side ofair box frame member 232. A similar fitting 312 is disposed at theoutlet of oil cooler 113. Fitting 312 is disposed in a slot 314 that isformed in top frame member 230 of air box 228.

To install the oil cooler, the operator first lowers the oil cooler intoplace abutting the bottom frame member 232, with fitting 308 stickingthrough hole 310. Once in this position, the operator tilts the oilcooler forward until the upper fitting 312 pivots into slot 314. At thispoint, the oil cooler is abutting the four tabs 254, 256, 258, 260 towhich it is attached. The operator then inserts the threaded fastenersthrough the holes in the tabs and secures the oil cooler in place.

Radiator 112 similarly has two coolant connections—a coolant inlet and acoolant outlet—one located at the bottom of the radiator and one locatedat the top. The coolant connection located at the bottom includes atubular member 316 (FIG. 10) that extends forward from a sidewall of thebottom tank 272. A flexible coolant hose 318 (FIG. 8) is fixed to member316 and extends forward to engine 106 (FIGS. 1, 11) with which it is influid communication.

The other coolant connection, located at the top of the radiator,includes a tubular member 322 (FIG. 8) that extends forward from thefront-facing sidewall of the top tank 268. Tubular member 322 is fixedto a flexible coolant hose 324 that extends between and is in fluidcommunication with the engine block 320 and the top tank of theradiator.

Coolant hose 324 extends forward from the radiator through an aperture326 that is located on the right side of the heat exchanger support 206above the top frame member 230 and below the top member 206. Once itpasses through the aperture, it makes a sharp bend back to the left andextends laterally across the front of the heat exchanger support 206.From the left side of heat exchanger support 206 it turns again andextends forward and downward to engine 106 where it is attached

By extending across in front of the top of the heat exchanger support206, the upper coolant hose 324 is provided with sufficient slack topermit the radiator to be tilted backward away from the oil cooler.

When the radiator is tilted back out of the way, additional access tothe space between the radiator and the oil cooler is provided by thearrangement of top panel 114 and door 110. Rather than extend straightacross the rear of the engine compartment, top panel 114 is cut away ina central region of the rear top panel just above the radiator. As bestshown in FIG. 6, this permits the operator to look directly downwardonto the top of the radiator, and also to look directly downward on topof the gap between the radiator and the oil cooler when the radiator istilted backward to permit access between the two. This cutaway region isnot left open, however. The door 110 has a forwardly extending panel 326that is affixed to the top of the door. This forwardly extending panelis configured to cover the cut away region 328 of top panel 114, therebydirecting water and dirt away from the cutaway region and keeping theradiator dry.

As mentioned above, the door 110 of the vehicle 100 has several louvers124 that are disposed adjacent to one another and extend laterallyacross an opening 122 in door 110. These louvers control the flow of airthrough the door, and thus also control the air through the oil coolerand the radiator. The louvers are surrounded by a frame 330 comprised ofa top, bottom left and right elongated members 332,334,336,338. Thesemembers are fixed to each other at their ends to define a rectangularduct 340 approximately five inches long. Each of these members332,334,336,338 has a flexible rubber bead or seal 342 that is fixed totheir leading edges. These seals 342 seal the edges of members332,334,336,338 to corresponding edges of radiator 112. The effect is tocreate, when the rear door 110 is closed, a single longitudinallyextending and sealed air flow path that extends from the fan shroudplate through the oil cooler, then through the radiator, and finallythrough to the rear louvers on the rear door of the vehicle and backinto the surrounding atmosphere.

This air flow path can be broken in two ways. First, the rear door canbe unlatched and opened, which will break the seal between therectangular duct 340 of door 110 and the back surface of radiator 112.Second, once the door is open and duct 340 pulled away from radiator112, the radiator itself can be unlatched and tilted backward, breakingthe seal between the radiator and the back of air box 228, therebyproviding access to the forward surface of the radiator 112 and the rearsurface of the oil cooler 113.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications andvariations can be effected without departing from the true spirit andscope of the novel concept of the present invention. It will beappreciated that the present disclosure is intended as anexemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit theinvention to the specific embodiment illustrated. The disclosure isintended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fallwithin the scope of the claims.

1. A radiator mounting system for a skid steer vehicle, comprising: arectangular air box having a front wall, a plurality of sidewallsabutting one another to form an air duct, and an open back, wherein thefront wall has an opening sized to receive engine fan blades, a planaroil cooler disposed in the air box and having a plurality of lateraledges sealed against the plurality of sidewalls of the air box; a planarradiator having a plurality of lateral edges, a back side, and a frontside; and a radiator frame supporting the radiator by the radiator'splurality of lateral edges, the frame including a strap configured toencircle and support the periphery of a radiator, wherein the strap ishingeably coupled to the air box.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thefront side of the radiator is configured to seal against the back of theair box in a first sealed position.
 3. The system of claim 2, whereinthe frame is hingeably coupled to the bottom of the air box to pivot theradiator from the first sealed position to a second unsealed position inwhich the upper portion of the radiator is unsealed from the rear of theair box and provides a operator-accessible gap between a rear wall ofthe oil cooler and the front side of the radiator.
 4. The system ofclaim 3 in which the operator-accessible gap may be opened wide enoughto allow water to be sprayed through the gap and directly against therear of the oil cooler and the front side of the radiator.
 5. The systemof claim 4, wherein the air box has one sidewall with a slot forreceiving one of an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting, and a hole onan opposing sidewall for receiving another of an inlet fitting and anoutlet fitting.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the air box is fixedto a heat exchanger support that is, in turn, fixed to a chassis of thevehicle, the heat exchanger support having two vertical members disposedon either side of the air box and a laterally extending top member fixedto the tops of the two vertical members.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the system further comprises a louvered duct that is pivotallymounted to move from a first sealed position in which it is sealedagainst the back side of the radiator to a second open position in whichit is pivoted away from the back side of the radiator.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the duct is fixed to a frame of a rear door of thevehicle.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the rear door includes apanel that is mounted on the door to be pivotable from a first positionin which is disposed on top of the radiator to a second position inwhich it is to one side of the radiator.
 10. A radiator mounting systemfor a skid steer vehicle, comprising: an air box configured as an airduct to conduct substantially all cooling air required for an oil coolerand a radiator, the air box having a front wall, at least foursidewalls, and an open back, wherein the front wall shrouds an enginecooling air fan, an oil cooler disposed in the air box and having atleast four lateral edges sealed against the at least four sidewalls ofthe air box; a flat radiator having at least four lateral edges, a backside, and a front side; and a radiator support coupled to and supportingthe radiator, wherein the radiator support is hingeably coupled to theair box.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the radiator has a firstsealed position in which lateral edges of the radiator are configured toseal against the air box.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein theradiator is configured to be pivoted about one pivotal axis from itsfirst sealed position to a second unsealed position in which theradiator is unsealed from the rear of the air box and anoperator-accessible gap is provided between a rear wall of the oilcooler and the front side of the radiator
 13. The system of claim 12 inwhich the operator-accessible gap is wide enough to allow water and airto be manually introduced through the gap and sprayed against the rearof the oil cooler and the front of the radiator when the radiator is inthe second unsealed position.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein theair box has at least one sidewall with a slot for receiving one of anoil cooler inlet fitting and an oil cooler outlet fitting, and at leastanother sidewall having a hole for receiving another of the oil coolerinlet fitting and the oil cooler outlet fitting.
 15. The system of claim14, wherein the air box is fixed at least to a heat exchanger support,the heat exchanger support having two vertical members disposed oneither side of the air box and a laterally extending top member fixed tothe tops of the two vertical members.
 16. The system of claim 10,further comprising a louvered duct that is pivotally mounted to movefrom a first sealed position in which the duct is sealed against theback side of the radiator and a second open position in which the ductis pivoted away from the back side of the radiator.
 17. The system ofclaim 16, further comprising a rear door of the vehicle wherein the ductis fixed to a frame of the rear door.
 18. The system of claim 17,wherein the rear door includes a panel that is mounted on the door to bepivotable from a first position when the door is closed in which thepanel is disposed on top of the radiator to a second position when thedoor is open in which the panel is to one side of the radiator.
 19. Amethod of opening a radiator mounting system of a skid steer vehicle forcleaning, comprising the steps of: opening a skid steer rear doorcontaining a cooling air duct; unlatching a radiator exposed by theopened rear door; and pivoting the unlatched radiator backward away froman oil cooler.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of opening askid steer rear door includes the step of pivoting a louvered rear doorcontaining an air duct away from sealing engagement with the radiator.21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of pivoting the unlatchedradiator includes the step of pivoting the radiator about a pivotal axisdisposed adjacent to a forward surface of a lower tank of the radiator.22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of pivoting the radiatorabout a pivotal axis disposed along a forward surface of a lower tank ofthe radiator includes the step of pivoting the radiator from a firstposition in which it is substantially parallel to an oil cooler andspaced behind the oil cooler with a gap therebetween, to a secondposition in which the radiator is disposed at an angle with respect tothe oil cooler.
 23. A radiator and mounting system for a work vehicle,comprising: a radiator having a top tank, a bottom tank and a core, theradiator having a peripheral edge that extends across the top of the toptank, down each side of the radiator core and across the bottom of thebottom tank; and a frame configured to extend around the peripheral edgeof the radiator, wherein the frame is configured to be pivotally coupledto a chassis of the work vehicle.
 24. The radiator and mounting systemof claim 23, wherein the frame includes a first subframe and a secondsubframe that are coupled together with threaded fasteners along theperipheral edge of the radiator.
 25. The radiator and mounting system ofclaim 23, wherein the radiator has a plastic top tank and a plasticbottom tank.
 26. The radiator and mounting system of claim 25, whereinthe radiator has an aluminum core.
 27. The radiator and mounting systemof claim 23, wherein the top tank and the bottom tank have means forcoupling the radiator and frame that are engaged with correspondingstructures on the frame.
 28. The radiator and mounting system of claim27, further comprising a plurality of elastomeric supports that aredisposed between each of the means for coupling and the frame.
 29. Theradiator and mounting system of claim 27, wherein the means for couplingare plastic.
 30. The radiator and mounting system of claim 24, whereinthe first subframe is a top frame configured to extend across the topsurface of the top tank and the second frame is a bottom frameconfigured to extends across the bottom surface of the bottom tank. 31.A radiator and mounting system for a work vehicle, comprising: aradiator having a top tank, a bottom tank and a core, the radiatorhaving a peripheral edge that extends across the top of the top tank,down each side of the radiator core and across the bottom of the bottomtank; and a radiator mount configured to extend around at least aportion of the peripheral edge of the radiator, wherein the radiatormount is configured to be pivotally coupled to a chassis of the workvehicle.
 32. The radiator and mounting system of claim 31, wherein theradiator has a plastic top tank and a plastic bottom tank and theradiator mount is coupled to the both the plastic top tank and theplastic bottom tank.
 35. The radiator and mounting system of claim 31,wherein the top tank and the bottom tank have means for coupling theradiator and frame that are engaged with the radiator mount.
 36. Theradiator and mounting system of claim 35, further comprising a pluralityof resilient supports that are disposed between each of the means forcoupling and the frame.
 37. The radiator and mounting system of claim27, wherein the means for coupling are plastic.
 38. The radiator andmounting system of claim 24, wherein the core is made of aluminum. 39.The radiator and mounting system of claim 31, wherein the radiator mountincludes a hinge.